A transition to multifunctional electronic devices for vehicles has been advanced in recent years, and recording media that can be used therein expanded beyond those for audio applications such as CD or MD to media for video applications such as DVD and CD-ROM. At the same time, electronic devices for vehicles comprising comparatively large display units that differ from the conventional display devices, which serve only as functional displays, and enable the displays of various types such as images for navigation and TV and DVD images have become widespread.
Due to space limitations inside a vehicle cabin, such display units of electronic devices for vehicles are most often provided on a panel that can be opened and closed at the front surface of the electronic device (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2001-57067). When the panel is upright and closed, the insertion slot for a recording medium that is formed on the front surface of the electronic device is covered and hidden, and when the panel is an a horizontal and open state, the insertion slot is exposed and the recording medium can be inserted therein and removed therefrom. Furthermore, technologies described in Japanese Patent Applications Laid-open No. 2002-74923 and 2003-69920 have been suggested as specific means for opening and closing the panel.